Lake Como Design Fair: The Complexity of Colour

‘’Those who really know what design is know how to make choices and, how to make bold choices.’’ Matteo Pirola wrote resolutely in Lake Como Design Fair’s catalog to welcome visitors this weekend to its second edition and sparked curiosity to its focus: questions concerning the notion of color within the practice of design and architecture. The historically colorful -and fundamentally different- Teatro Sociale Como and Palazzo del Broletto were the location of choice for this debate, where Margherita Ratti an Andreas Kofler carefully curated affordable pieces to do so.

Pirelli’s statement was confirmed walking into the ridotto room at Teatro Sociale Como, where the design part of the fair was located. Over 120 contemporary objects were beautifully contrasted by the classical and bright room. From industrial designs revolving around a colorful mistake to a limited project that changes color by the change of light, Ratti made sure the notion of color was explored to the fullest. Here, our sister gallery Spazio Nobile presented Garnier & Linker’s Diatomée. Which are sculpted vases that appear like diatoms. These single-celled algae appear in domestic spheres and are materialized by glass.

About 100 meters from this location, Palazzo del Broletto welcomed visitors to the architecture part of the fair, which made its debut this edition. The medieval, dark brown and white room is usually closed to the public but functioned this weekend as a Wunderkammer dedicated to color, as described by curator Kofler. Here, there was a more organic connection between the venue’s colors and the works. It sophistically brought together drawings, models, photographs, design, and artistic works from architects and contemporary photographers. Works included Sottsass, Delaroche and Studio Lunik.

The division between design and architecture left an unexpectedly pleasant impression. Perhaps it was the contrast in curatorial frameworks, the difference in approach to the topic of color, the different locations or the detachment between design and architecture on its whole, with some subtle links in between. Moreover, the prizes affordability of the objects made it possible to have an intimate relation to the objects. Together with the diverse mix of emerging and established designers -due to selection and an open call- the fair created an interesting sympathetic layer.

Lake Como Design Fair took place from 20th to the 22nd of September.